Edwards, D-Amite, issued a statement early Thursday urging Kleckley, R-Lake Charles to follow House rules which require at least 10 days notice be given to legislators if a committee meeting is to be held outside of the regular session.

In a statement released Thursday, Kleckley said the meeting, which will look to further privatize some functions of the Office of Group Benefits (OGB), will remain as scheduled.

"I appreciate Rep. John Bel Edwards' concern regarding the timing and announcement of tomorrow's House Appropriations/Senate Finance meeting, because it allows me to remind everyone of the extensive debate already conducted in relation to this contract," Kleckley said in the statement.

"All members were aware last week that this meeting would be continued to the next week," Kleckley added, saying, the meeting would go ahead on Friday "in the interest of being cost effective."

Earlier on Thursday, Edwards said he was concerned over Kleckley's recent actions with the committee, which included removing two Republicans who were opposed to further OGB privatization.

State Representatives Cameron Henry, R-Metairie and Joe Harrison, R-Napoleonville, said they believe they had been removed due to their opposition to the contract and criticisms over budget cuts imposed by Governor Bobby Jindal's administration.

"I can only assume that the speaker is just deciding that he's going to
deliver for the administration at all costs. This will be the third time
they've convened a committee meeting for approving this [OGB]
contract," Edwards told NOLA.com.

"Regardless of why we have the rule, the fact is we have the rule and as
the Speaker of the House, [Kleckley] should be obliged to follow the
rules," Edwards added.

"This is just another example of
yet another speaker who is willing to be very creative and pliable when
it comes to interpreting rules in order to afford the administration
every possible advantage to secure the initiatives they are pressing."

"It
would be interesting if you have a meeting in violation of the rules
whether any action taken at the meeting is valid," Edwards told NOLA.com, referring to the Friday appropriations meeting.

"This is just another step down the road to where the
House of Representatives and really the Legislature as a whole has
become another instrument of the Executive."

Asked for comment on the letter, Jindal spokeswoman Shannon Bates said in a statement, "Speaker Chuck Kleckley is a fair-minded and proven leader. We support the Speaker and the decisions he makes regarding the meetings of House committees."